THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of October 18, 2023
Vol. 50 Issue 4
FUSA Approves New Logo and Bellarmine Campus Constitutional Amendments BY JULIAN NAZARIO Copy, Head News Editor
Julian Nazario / The Mirror
The squat racks, now located in one of the lower lever weight rooms, were moved to decrease noises levels in the building. Students, however, don’t see any benefits and have expressed dissapointment in the Fizz app.
Rearranged RecPlex Renews Debate About Gym Essentials
BY SAMANTHA RUSSELL Assistant News Editor A return from fall break left Fairfield University’s RecPlex with unexpected adjustments that have stirred mixed emotions among university students. Concerns with overcrowding have become a characteristic of The Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Recreation Complex in the past year. With increased student enrollment over the past two years, Fairfield University amenities have experienced an evident struggle with accommodating the large masses of students. The RecPlex has not been exempt from this issue. Assistant Director of Facilities and Events Brian Kabel expressed that these new renovations are meant to keep up with the relentless crowds noticed in the gym. “We’re tasked with, ‘how can we have the building set up in such a way that it’s more easily accessible during [peak] times?’” said Kabel. “It’s really just an opportunity for us to redo the layout a little bit and hopefully optimize efficiency, create some more open space.” Instead of finding four squat racks in the main weight room, students can now find one rack in its back, right corner and the remaining three downstairs in room LL5. The new weight room layout has additionally moved the free-weight section to the left side wall and has added two new pieces of equipment.
Kabel noted that, with the rise of at-home YouTube and TikTok workouts, many students only require a few square feet of space to complete their exercise routines. “Hopefully, again, it just creates a little bit better of an atmo-
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It’s really just an opportunity for us to redo the layout a little bit and hopefully optimize efficiency.” -Brian Kabel, Assistant Director of Facilities and Events sphere as far as people [not being] packed in,” he said. “Our goal is to maximize the usage of the building, especially during peak hours.” Director d Wellness Eli Olken-Dann added that the shifts were partly to accommodate the new pieces of equipment, and reaffirmed that students still have one squat rack to utilize upstairs. An overpopulation crisis was not the sole prompter of these changes. Kabel explained that squat racks create a substantial amount of noise when their weight plates are dropped on the f loor; this noise has acted as a disruption to the numerous fitness classes taking place on the f loor below. By moving the squat racks to the same f loor as these classes,
the overhead distraction is removed and a better atmosphere for Fairfield’s yoga and spin classes is established. Despite the intended benefit for students, many have expressed frustration and discontent with these alterations. Several of these students have taken to the app Fizz to express their concerns. On Oct. 10, one student posted the question, “Who [is] responsible for this awful redesign,” with an attached picture of the shifted layout. Another submission stated, “Upvote to bring the squat racks back,” followed by a crying emoji. An “upvote” signals agreement with a Fizz post. A Tire Flip 180 and a Vertical Crunch machine are the two advanced assets of the RecPlex’s repertoire. The Tire Flip 180 introduces students to CrossFit exercise in a more controlled environment. The tire is stationed to the ground with one-half able to f lip back and forth and by two to four people at once. Battle ropes are attached to the tire for multipurpose exercise, and resistance levels are able to be increased. The vertical crunch machine offers a two-in-one exercise opportunity for downward and upward crunches. This machine is plate-loaded and includes a swivel for more side-unique exercises. “Going forward,” explained Kabel, “if we get more new equipment we can then easily get rid of pieces that replicate the same thing.”
Fairfield University Student Association senators rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have turned the Health and Wellness Committee into a FUSA board during an Oct. 11 general Senate meeting. While senators were supposed to hold a vote for Bill 60-001, Modern Amendments to the FUSA Constitution, the process was disrupted by a group of senators who expressed dissatisfaction with the parliamentary process and instead preferred to hold votes for each section of the bill. “Is it possible to have the bill broken up by sections so we don’t have to vote on it altogether?” asked senior student Sen. Jake McGlinchy, during the floor debate. Another senator, Stefano Volpe ‘25, also questioned the motive for why the changes to the organization’s constitution were placed onto one bill, instead of breaking them into smaller bills. “A part of it is for convenience, that [is the reason why it] was put all together. After our discussion with FUSA
proposed amendment that would allow Bellarmine campus students to be FUSA officers “position dependent”. “In the FUSA Constitution, Article III will include Section 3.2.2, which states that ‘Position dependent, FUSA Officers may be students that are enrolled in Fairfield Bellarmine,’” reads Section 2, subsection B of Bill 60-001. Senior Matthew Adamski, one of the senators, raised the concern about whether Bellarmine students would be eligible to run for Senate. “There is nothing in the bill about senators from Bellarmine,” said Burns. “Bellarmine students would get the opportunity to get involved in FUSA, which means FUSA officers as well as clubs on campus.” A summer executive order signed on July 18 by President Aliyah Seenauth ‘24 established Bellarmine students will have a “Bellarmine President and Vice President and two Bellarmine Senators.” In the case of the two Bellarmine senators, Section 5.1.3 of the order denoted that they “are expected to attend all General Senate Meetings [and] will follow the same expectations that of FUSA Senators.”
Julian Nazario / The Mirror
FUSA senators have debated the constitutional amendments for three consecutive meetings and voted on Oct. 11 to approve most of them.
Executive about amendments in general, we wanted to get a lot of them down because the process for amendments is a really strenuous one and we really cared [about the proposed amendments],” said Senate Speaker Steven Burns ‘24 in response to Volpe’s question. Burns also described that having multiple, smaller bills on the same issue would have meant hosting different public forums with limited discussion and a more complicated process of ratification that needs at least two-thirds of approval from the 90 students who work for the FUSA Executive branch. One comprehensive bill solves, according to Burns, the problem of “getting hold of the people who would be voting.” Another question that surfaced from the pre-vote debate was on the
Due to the approved amendments, the executive order will no longer be in effect but it is still unclear what FUSA positions will be available to Bellarmine students.
Bill Saved After Multiple Rounds of Votes The first vote of the night occurred after Senator Volpe introduced the motion to vote on Bill 60-001. Of the 20 senators that composed the body, seven voted in favor, four against the bill and seven decided to abstain for reasons that were not provided. As the bill failed to reach the three-fourths majority required, Speaker Burns and Jeremy Kaler, Director of Student Engagement directed senators to refrain from abstaining if they did not have a conflict of interest. “I strongly encourage everyone
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News
Opinion
Vine
Sports
Financial Aid Changes Announced for Next Year
Should We Embrace The AI Revolution?
A Post Card from Galeway, Ireland
Field Hockey Remains Undefeated in Conference Play
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
News
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Transition to Fall Weather Finally Underway On Campus
Julian Nazario / The Mirror
FUSA Healh & Wellness Committee to Continue Work Under Existing Executive Order CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
when we do votes like these, and I should have done it before, to vote,
because abstaining removes yourself from the pool of voters, and your power as a senator comes from your ability to vote,” expressed a frustrated Burns 40 minutes into the Senate meeting. At 7:22 p.m., a second vote was held but also failed to reach the three-fourths threshold, with just four votes away. To save the bill, senators then proceeded to have four rounds of voting to vote on sections one, two, three and four to seven of the failed Modern Amendments to the FUSA Constitution bill.
The final votes were 18-2, 20-0, 12-8 and 20-0, with section three of the bill failing to reach the necessary majority. Section three outlines the incorporation of the Health and Wellness committee into the Executive board. In a written statement to The Mirror prior to the vote, President Seenauth expressed that the Health and Wellness proposal follows the university’s “path of improved student wellness initiatives” and is in tune with her administration’s goal of serving as advocates for students. “I initially passed the committee through an executive order, but amending the constitution through senate processes will potentially allow it to serve as an official board
on the Executive Cabinet,” expressed Seenauth. “This allows for longevity of Health & Wellness and further engages in the idea of our campus becoming wellness centered.” Even though the vote denied the H&W Committee from becoming a FUSA board, they will still remain active due to an executive order signed on March 8, 2023 by then-President Jordan Gale ‘23 and President-Elect Seenauth that stipulated “that the 76th FUSA President shall create a FUSA Health & Wellness Committee.”
THE MIRROR | Week of Otober 18, 2023
News
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RecPlex Offerings ‘Above Average’ Compared to Other Universities Compiled by Kathleen Morris Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety 10/12 12 p.m. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a report of vandalism to the Dunkin’ Donuts in the Campus Center. The incident, in which a door was smashed, is thought to have occurred in the evening between 10/6 and 10/9. DPS used closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to capture the event which is under investigation. 10/12 11:15 p.m. DPS assisted Residence Life with the removal of a male student from a residence hall, as the student is only permitted to enter his own building. The student was escorted out by DPS and referred to the Dean of Students. 10/14 10:30 p.m. A fire alarm in the Dolan School of Business was set off by a balloon. The balloon activated the beam detectors in the building. DPS reminds students that balloons must be attached in order to eliminate the possibility of blowing away toward the ceiling. 10/15 9:20 p.m. There was a hit-and-run in the Dolan East parking lot. DPS received a call that an unoccupied vehicle was hit. Fortunately, the other vehicle was located and the conflict was resolved. 10/16 12:30 p.m. A car was keyed while parked outside of Loyola Hall. DPS reminds students and faculty that they are prohibited from parking in the Kelley Center parking lot when visiting the Food Truck Village. 10/16 3:15 p.m. DPS received a report about an individual in the Dimenna-Nyselius Library. According to the library staff, the individual was an older man who was displaying nude artwork. The man has been identified and DPS plans to call him to determine his intentions. This situation is still under investigation and DPS encourages the community to call (203) 254-4090 or ext. 4090 if they witness anything unusual.
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Tommy Coppola, Editor-in-Chief Brooke Lathe, Executive Editor Max Limric, Managing Editor Julian Nazario, Copy Editor Editors Julian Nazario, Head News Samantha Russell, Assistant News Kathleen Morris, Assistant News Liz Morin, Opinion Abigail White, Head Vine Jacqui Rigazio, Assistant Vine Ryan Marquardt, Head Sports William McGuire, Assistant Sports Staff Photographers Kyler Erezuma & Shea Burns Business Department Email: info@fairfieldmirror.com William McGuire, Chief Financial Officer Advisor Tommy Xie Contact Information Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road, BCC 104 Box AA, Fairfield, CT 06824 General email: info@fairfieldmirror.com The Mirror is the recognized student newspaper of Fairfield University. Opinions and ideas expressed herein are those of the individual student authors, and not those of Fairfield University or its Board of Trustees
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The RecPlex receives most of its equipment from its partner, The Abs Company. The unique element about The Abs Company is that all of their products are patented and remain specific to them. Still, students are not thrilled with the chosen additions. One Fizz post stated, “Nothing [the] RecPlex needed more than another ab machine and a tire.” Previously, students have voiced complaints about a lack of bench presses in the weight room. To some relief, a second one was added to room LL6 earlier this year. The surge of Fairfield students moving to off-campus gyms, such as The Edge Fitness Club, showcases a disagreement with Olken-Dann’s statement that the RecPlex “offers incredible options” in terms of equipment and resources. Because of its square footage, Olken-Dann stated, the RecPlex is not particularly able to uphold vast quantities. Nonetheless, he believes Fairfield is “right up there” with other university campuses, complete with machines that work every part of the body as well as cardio options and strength training. “I think we are above average in terms of what we offer,” Olken-Dann stated. However, as uncontrollable as it is, size may be the determining factor in a student’s choice of gym. Junior Marie Fanizza reported that she stopped attending the RecPlex because “it’s too small.” Kabel acknowledged this unchangeable lack of space in comparison to Edge Fitness’ growing popularity and quantity. Although their amounts of equipment may not be equal, the RecPlex does their best to keep up with their variety of equipment. While The Edge Fitness Club offers extra resources such as saunas,
Julian Nazario / The Mirror
The weight room now features a tire flip that RecPlex administrators argued will improve the overall experience of students and general visitors.
personal training and a green f looring mat, it does come at a cost inapplicable to Fairfield University’s RecPlex, which is free for all students. Moreover, Kabel emphasized that RecPlex faculty are more concerned with matching their peers at other university centers rather than off-campus facilities. The Tire Flip 180, for example, was an idea taken from Quinnipiac University. Kabel stated that, “We are constantly going to other universities, looking at their fitness centers, talking to our colleagues and keeping up with the best trends.” “We try to leave no stone unturned” concluded Kabel. He commented that the RecPlex also values feedback given to them by major fitness companies. On Oct. 12, a representative from partner Life Fitness toured the RecPlex to provide them with this type of professional insight. In regards to the eliminated space
in room LL5, Olken-Dann asserted that this move was not a sacrifice, but more of a “reallocation of resources.” According to Olken-Dann, the room did not hold as much as LL6 to begin with, and noted there is still space behind the squat racks to partake in various other exercises, along with rooms LL1 and LL2. “We still have a racquetball court that students can use for multipurpose use,” reminded Olken-Dann. “We looked at it that we took pieces of equipment that we currently had up in our weight room and moved them downstairs, and that allowed us to bring in additional pieces of equipment that we didn’t already offer.” Olken-Dann hopes to remind students that these changes are meant to be positive steps to benefit their fitness journeys. The RecPlex continues to seek improvements in its overall atmosphere and student experiences.
Financial Aid Office Details Changes to FAFSA, CSS Profile Requirements BY JULIAN NAZARIO Copy, Head News Editor
The Office of Financial Aid notified students on Oct. 16 of new changes to the financial aid process for the 2024-2025 academic year. One of the main changes will be in the availability of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, better known as FAFSA, which will be available at some point during the month of December. According to the federal Department of Education, the delay is caused in part by “major changes and improvements” coming to the 2024-25 form. The federal government anticipates that the changes will expand eligibility for federal student aid and will result in a more streamlined application process. The new process, a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act, will be highlighted by the replacement of the measurement used to determine aid, from the “Expected Family Contribution” to the new “Student Aid Index”. The federal government says the new “analysis formula removes the number of family members in college from the calculation, allows a minimum SAI of -1500, and implements
separate eligibility determination criteria for Federal Pell Grants.” According to a Forbes analysis, the removal of the students-in-college question could lead to families with multiple college students receiving less aid for the next school year. Additionally, the government also announced the new form will remove questions about Selective Service registration and drug convictions while it will now ask respondents to inform their sex, race and ethnicity, which will “have no effect on federal student aid eligibility.” While Fairfield students await the new financial aid process, the Office of Financial Aid encouraged students to submit their FAFSA application before the April 15 deadline as “many financial aid funds are often awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.” Another suggestion from the office is for students to check their emails and NetPartner accounts regularly, as both Fairfield and the federal government will be sending updates regarding the form’s official release date.
New in-house changes include the elimination of the CSS Profile annual submission. “In the past, students were required to submit the CSS Profile each year to be considered for institutional need-based grants. However, we understand that this process could be burdensome and time-consuming for many of you,” said the Office of Financial Aid. “In an effort to simplify the financial aid application process, we have made the decision to change our policy. Any need-based tuition grants from Fairfield University that you were awarded in the 2023-2024 academic year, will now be renewed for the 2024-2025 academic year.” Other financial aid applications, like FAFSA, will still need to be completed on an annual basis. The official communication ends by restating the university’s commitment to a more transparent process and their hope that “this change in our policy will make the financial aid application process more straightforward and less burdensome” for university students.
News
THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
Opin ion
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Editor: Liz Morin Email: elizabeth.morin1@student.fairfield.edu
The First Step To Addressing Climate Change Is Finding The Right Sources BY LIZ MORIN Opinion Editor
On March 29, I wrote an article calling for Fairfield to advocate for itself as a sustainable campus. On the outside, Fairfield appears to have no sustainability policies, and its students reflect that. There is frequent litter around campus and the beach, hoarded trash rooms and an overall lack of care for climate change, even though it is something that is impacting our generation. The lack of care from students reflects poorly on Fairfield’s administration. Sustainability, on the outside, appears not to be a priority. Plastic is everywhere in dining services, and there are even times when water filters are not clean to use with a reusable water bottle. After some research, I found that there are plans in place to make Fairfield more sustainable with faculty contributions. However, these plans are not publicized to students at all, and I called for Administration and Admissions to start making sustainability a part of the Fairfield identity. From the first time you set foot on campus, tour guides should mention the plans to become a more green campus. That way, new students know from the beginning that picking up after themselves and not wasting so much plastic is expected despite it seeming like the bare minimum. Personally, I found it to be a simple ask. Since then, the Fairfield administration and social media platforms have remained silent on the matter. The Fairfield Instagram didn’t even make a post acknowledging Earth Day on April 22. If your argument is that a college social media cannot post about “controversial” topics, the FUSA Instagram account, which is the closest thing to our student
representation, did not post anything either. And they have much more freedom to post than the general school account, which is clear as FUSA regularly posts about different holidays and events while the university account does not. Why are we so afraid to advocate for something that is based on science? For a school that promotes itself by being close to the beach, we certainly don’t do much to take care of that space once we get here. I’m not sure if people don’t care because they don’t see it or they don’t think it will impact this generation. I suppose it comes down to a lack of knowledge. Some say this is because we cannot see global warming or the fact that it’s not changing. In a study to understand why people do not believe in climate change, Pew Research Center interviewed 32 climate change skeptics on why they do not believe in climate change. An anonymous man from Florida said “I think that [extreme weather events] are not happening more. I think people know about them more”. “We know about a tsunami that happened across the world, whereas 50 years ago, we never even heard of it. It may seem like things are happening more and more, but I think that just that’s the cycle of life, the cycle of Earth. And if they are happening a little more, then that is just the cyclical part of what’s going on with the planet,” he continued. Reading this, I thought about my hometown. I’m from northern Massachusetts, close to the New Hampshire border, and to make matters simple, microbursts and tornadoes are not common to us. They aren’t common to most of New England either. On Sept. 8, a string of microbursts and severe storms took my hometown out of
Ph Phoottoo C Coouurrtteesy sy ooff C Caarrbboonn LLiigghhtthhoouussee When dealing with a topic that can be hard to understand, like the climate, people tend to lean toward politicians as information sources because they are easier to understand then a paper. However, this is detrimental to people's knowledge of the subject.
commission for weeks. My parents and brother had to live with my grandparents for four days until they got power back. If you asked me ten years ago if I ever expected a tornado in Massachusetts, I would have laughed. This summer, I heard on the news about four times that tornados had landed in various parts of Massachusetts. So these things have happened, but they are on record to be happening more frequently. It also comes down to what you listen to and how you educate yourself. Michael Ranney, who researches why people don’t believe in climate change, said how we consume media ties into our knowledge of it. “For many Americans, they’re caught between a radio talk show host—of the sort that Rush Limbaugh is—and maybe a professor who just gave them a lecture on global warming.” When fed two media pieces, people are likelier to go toward what makes the most sense. Even I admittedly do that. I don’t find myself going to research papers when I want to learn more about a topic. I go to something that I understand, and I suppose that’s why we lack so much knowledge. Certainly, I think there are more extreme cases in this, as many people will choose to side with a politician's view of climate change instead of scientists just because they are easier to understand. Many famous politicians will share blatantly false information with people, and some individuals will believe it because they never look at a more professional source. Donald Trump is infamous for his egregious tweets, such as, “The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make the U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.” Some people believe the paranoia he spews because of tweets like, “The environment is very important to me. Someone wrote a book saying that I’m an environmentalist.” Well, he says he cares about the environment; therefore, what he says is true! This is the problem with the world. At this point, I can only ask that people, especially Fairfield students, start to educate themselves correctly about climate change. I’m certain that if you learn the drastic effects of what is happening, you will start to care, too.
Julian Nazario/The Mirror Hispanic Heratige Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Many people use this time to enjoy aspects of Hispanic culture, but negelct to recognize that celebrating Hispanic heratige goes far beyond that.
Exploring Hispanic Heritage Beyond Food and Music BY JULIAN NAZARIO
Copy, Head News Editor Hispanic Heritage Month should be more than Latin food and Bad Bunny listening parties. This year marks my second “celebration” of Hispanic Heritage Month in the continental United States. I’ve lived my entire life in Puerto Rico, so I haven’t had the need to celebrate my heritage there. When I think of Hispanic heritage, I don’t know what to think about honestly. Merriam-Webster says heritage is “something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor,” but have I acquired something that represents the American ideal of Hispanics? No. I don’t think of myself as a Hispanic. I always say to myself, “Soy primero Boricua, después Puertorriqueño, then Latino and if you need to, I can be Hispanic for you.” Hispanics are not all the same, we don’t have the same interests or cultural/ historical backgrounds, so don’t call me a Hispanic; call me a Boricua. One of my friends in my film class was making a documentary about football and asked me to be one of the interviewees. “Yeah sure,” I said. “I’m not as passionate as you about football but I don’t mind answering a few questions about how I started to get more engaged with it.” His first question started with “as someone from Puerto Rico who didn’t know about football…” and I couldn’t stop laughing after I heard that. Again, don’t ask me just because I’m Boricua, ask me because I’m a friend. Never mind, we Hispanics have a thing in common: our shared war against American ignorance. Last week, I was in the DC metro on my way to the airport after spending a weekend with a friend when an older guy sat next to me. He didn’t last more than a minute in the awkward silence that traveled with us, so he started a conversation with me, just the typical stuff you ask a stranger.
At some point, the conversation shifted to how I got to learn and speak English if I lived in a place where everyone spoke in Spanish. Then he kept talking about how the immigrants that come from Central America are refusing to learn English and then started to debate why they don’t go to college as a way to get better jobs.
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I don’t think of myself as a Hispanic. I always say to myself, “Soy primero Boricua, después Puertorriqueño, then Latino and if you need to, I can be Hispanic for you.” I was so angry because I was physically confined and had to keep listening to this guy’s rant about the language and the cultural diversity that supposedly makes the United States what it is. I didn’t have it in me to fight with the guy. But how ironic was it that this uncomfortable moment happened on my way to the Ronald Reagan National Airport, the president who signed National Hispanic Heritage Month into law. “All of America is becoming ever more aware of the contributions that Hispanics have made to American life, American culture and America's destiny,” said then-President Reagan in 1988 while signing the last Hispanic Heritage Week proclamation. I guess he was looking at southern and central America. There are more things I could complain about, like how I have to pronounce my name with an English pronunciation so people can get it correctly or how I have to justify choosing Fairfield, Conn. when home is four hours away by plane; but I choose not to. So yeah, keep listening to Bad Bunny, keep eating empanadas and enjoying the sazón and flavor of our Latin food, but don’t make me celebrate your version of my heritage. No me llames Hispano, llámame Boricua.
Opinion
THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
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Religious Universities Provide More Than Just Religious Services By Fiona Killeen Contributing Writer
Over the past couple of months, I have begun to hear more about the impending “enrollment cliff ”. University of Pittsburgh analytics professor Andy Hannah estimated that the number of students entering their first year of college will decline by around 15% in 2025. This considerable reduction in future enrollment numbers originates from the financial crisis in 2008 that resulted in a decrease in birth rates. Universities must develop innovative ideas to manage this phenomenon while addressing the financial aspect of a plunge in student attendance. This enrollment dilemma coincides with a time when many Americans seem to be increasingly becoming more disaffiliated from religious groups. The Pew Research Center conducted a study in which they found that in 2020, 30% of the American population could be categorized as religious “nones,'' or religiously unaffiliated. This same study also projected that by 2070, religious “nones'' could represent between 34% and 52% of the population. When looking at the statistics of enrollment drops and potential increases in religious disaffiliation, it is almost instinctual to ponder how this will influence religious universities. I believe that religious universities have a unique opportunity to sustain enrollment during the impending reduction. Thinking back to the last couple of
Photo Courtesy of @fairfieldcampusministry More and more Americans are identifying without a religion which questions the future of religious universities. However, these universities provide much more then just religious services.
years, it seems to me that social justice initiatives have only increased. During 2020, we witnessed a rise in support for the Black Lives Matter movement as protests and social media efforts to bolster the movement began to take shape. In 2022, the Mental Health Collaboration Reauthorization Act was passed to improve many areas of mental health support, such as strengthening crisis intervention teams. This social justice-related topic has only increased in support and decreased stigmatization over the past few years. It is clear to me that while there are always counter-responses, social justice issues have gained substantial priority in
many people's minds. This closely relates to the discussion of religious universities since many faith communities not only support social justice causes but also view discrimination in any manner as contradicting religious teachings of acceptance. One of the cornerstones of Ignatian spirituality, in particular, is a commitment to social justice causes. For students who value these topics, religious schools—particularly Jesuit ones—present a model of education that incorporates these values into the learning experience. Of course, public universities also have clubs or events that incorporate social
justice themes. However, religious schools expand on this spotlight even more by incorporating it into the framework of education. Many religious schools also frequently offer service-based learning trips that promote humanitarianism and camaraderie in the student body. Another factor that I believe will help faith-based schools endure despite the “enrollment cliff ” is the nature of entering a school where many people share similar religious customs. Attending college with like-minded peers who value the same principles and ethics as you do can be very reassuring. While having various thoughts and opinions is crucial for healthy debates, I believe this can still occur in an environment where people share similar overarching religious principles. Even if you do not belong to the same religion as your university or if you are not religious at all, I would think it could still be comforting to study in an atmosphere that prioritizes values such as serving others. Across the board, there are messages to be taken from faith-based groups that, while initially religiously identifiable, can still be applied to everyday life in a way that encourages altruism. Time will only tell how universities nationwide evolve to meet not only the advancements and demands of society, but also the setbacks of potentially challenging circumstances such as declines in enrollment.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Embracing Artifical Intelligence Is Important For Societal Growth By Tommy Coppola Editor-In-Chief
Last Friday, Oct. 6, I had the opportunity to attend an event hosted by the Patrick J. Waide Center for Applied Ethics, which was part of their “Ethics Breakfast” series. This specific event dealt with the “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence,” which inspired me to give my take in writing. For some context, this past summer, I had the opportunity to create an AI-focused newsletter meant for a C-suite and partner-level audience in real estate and law segments. Through this, I have been studying AI, trying out endless models online and covering the latest news in this up-andcoming space specifically geared towards busy business executives looking to embrace this change. So, when I saw that Fairfield University was offering a discussion on it, I knew I had to jump on it. Since I started learning about the revolution of AI, I embraced it as a good change, though I acknowledge the extensive concerns of society. Though the event mostly talked about how AI is used for bad, I think that’s a particularly negative approach to take when looking at such a world-shaking step forward in technology. College of Arts and Sciences Dean
Richard Greenwald, Ph.D. was one of the panelists at this talk, who mentioned one of the cruxes of AI that I believe we should be treating like a constitution of sorts in order to keep things moving forward positively. Isaac Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics” is this rulesheet, and I’ll break them down. The first law is simple, and should be self-explanatory. It states, “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.” Our AI models should not be causing us any harm, whether directly or indirectly. Easy, right? Then we go to level two, which states “A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.” So far, so good. The final law reads, “A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.” The point of artificial intelligence systems we have is to make our lives easier, and I think that they achieve this, even amongst the societal ills that they can bring along. Though these laws deal with robotics, they are extremely applicable to AI in a more indirect and figurative way. In my somewhat expert opinion, I think that as long as the creators of AI
follow these three rules closely, then we will be safe from AI as a society. Many see AI as the beginning of a new, dystopian future where robots and intelligence systems are in full control, with humans being at their mercy. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. With heavy regulations in Congress coming into play, AI creators and users are restricted in how far they can even use it, keeping us far from such a dystopia. For example, the AI Labeling Act of 2023, introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz, a Democrat from Hawaii, makes it so that generative AI users must fully disclose that they used a generator to create such art. The list of regulations goes on. Our government is here to protect us from potential dangers that AI could wield, so we can rest assured. We are actively seeing these laws of robotics applied; our lawmakers are ensuring that AI cannot harm us, that it is obeying our orders and that it can still protect its own existence. So yes, that means there are safeguards in place so that your ChatGPT chatbot doesn’t give you an attitude. There are safeguards in place so that we are ‘in-the-know’ and honest about how we use AI. As a society, we have to continue being visible in order to truly get the best out of generative artificial intelligence. The AI revolution that we’re in the
middle of right now is no different from past technological revolutions. I can’t imagine horse-and-buggy regulars were too fast to adopt the Model T just as equally as I can’t imagine landline users were fast to adopt the iPhone. So, let’s embrace AI as another one of these huge societal shake-ups. There are so many ways AI can be used for productivity and growth; and while we do that, we will let our elected officials make the rules that keep the game fair to play.
Canva The rise of artificial intelligence is concerning many people about the future of technology. However, AI provides services that we should embrace to push society forward.
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
bad idea!” I can advocate for my anxiety-filled friends when I say that this was probably one Dear Stags, of the hardest things I have ever done. Those Greetings from Ireland! I am now fully last goodbyes stung. Badly. Oh also, I lost my settled in the “Emerald Isle” and am eager whole wallet 24 hours before my flight! You to share what life here is like! While I des- know with my ID, credit card, beloved Stag perately miss Stag Country and my morning Card … nothing too important! Dunkin’ runs, this has been a life-changing As anticipated, the first week in Ireland experience. Here is a little update on life in was full of culture shocks and homesickness. Galway, advice for studying abroad and how My first few hours were spent reluctantly I tackled those pesky first-week anxieties. drinking hot, unflavored coffee, getting For many, junior year is a popular time caught in the rain and cringing at the cars to consider studying abroad. Ever since I on the wrong side of the road (not sure I will began my college search, I knew this was ever get over that one). something that I was interested in. As a psyMy living arrangement this semester is chology major, The National University of a flat with three other roommates. We each Ireland in Galway presented itself as the per- have our own bedroom and bathroom as fect place for me to continue working on my well as a shared common space with a full degree. Plus, it is a truly beautiful city with kitchen, dining table, couch and TV area. A a rich history! Before my flight to Galway, I serious upgrade from my four-person Fahad never been out of the country. Needless ber room! Our flat looks out over the Corto say, I was a wreck the month leading up rib River that runs parallel to the university to my departure. I experienced all of those campus—it is the perfect spot for rainbow anxious clichés: “I can’t do this,” “this was a gazing. One of my roommates is a fellow Stag (shoutout Casey, xoxo), and our other roommates, Olivia and Lenny, are from Germany and Belgium, respectively. It has been a treat getting to know them, their home countries and what life and school is like for them. My favorite moments with them have been anytime we share traditions from back home, and trying their German and Belgian snacks! We also all share a love for sci-fi movies which is a huge win. Above all, the rumors rang true about the kindness and selflessness of the Irish people. The amount of university faculty and even strangers who offered friendly advice, warm wishes and encouraging support throughout my first Photo Contributed By Elliot Enriquez few days was so comforting. Study abroad students explore the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. By Elliot Enriquez Contributing Writer
By Kaitlyn Conroy Contributing Writer
Calling all cookie lovers! A new cookie store, called Chip City, has opened in Fairfield on Post Road and customers are already raving about it. Chip City already has locations throughout New York and New Jersey, and this is the company’s first Connecticut location. Just like some other familiar cookie spots, Chip City has a weekly cookie rotation, where they introduce a new cookie every week. For this week it is the White Chocolate Cranberry Oat cookie. Some customers have posted reviews online saying these are some of the best cookies they have ever had. Other reviews even state that they beat out the famous Crumbl Cookie. Naturally, I had to go and try them for myself. I would consider myself to be very picky with my cookies. I enjoy the occasional Crumbl Cookie, however, I find them to be very dense and overly sweet. One cookie brand I do enjoy a lot is Insomnia Cookies. I find their cookies
to have that classic look and taste and are great for settling a cookie craving. I decided to get some cookies from Chip City to bring to dinner with my friends. I went ahead and ordered online for pickup on their website. It was a very easy and quick option for me to order ahead. I had trouble choosing which cookies I wanted to get because they all looked delicious, but ultimately I settled on the Pumpkin Spice Latte cookie and the 20 “Lil Chips” Variety Bundle, which is twenty small cookies that come in different flavors. For all my vegans reading this, Chip City also has a vegan cookie available! First of all, walking into the shop I was greeted with the smell of freshly baked cookies. I thought the shop was very cute and welcoming. The lady who gave me my cookies was also very nice. One thing I noticed in the shop was that you can get ice cream put on top of your cookie. That is definitely something I want to try. The cookies were warm and the smell was mouth-watering. I was so excited to try them. After my friends and I finished dinner I got
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Irish slang lesson! “What’s the craic?” or “That’s some good craic!” In Ireland, referring to something as “craic” means that you are regarding said thing as a good/fun time, a good vibe if you will. “Are you alright?” (as a greeting) Apparently, in Ireland, (and most of Europe) this misleading “hello” is the equivalent of asking someone “How can I help you?” “Sláinte!” This one I love. It is basically a “Mazeltov!” equivalent! Living in Ireland is rewarding because traveling to neighboring countries is easily accessible. Photo Contributed by Elliot Enriquez This was something that I Global Fairfield allows students to study abroad in Galway, looked forward to the most Ireland when preparing to study abroad. Flights to financial advice and travel tips. If you are other areas of Europe like Spain, Switzerland considering studying abroad for a semester, and Germany are all inexpensive, and once summer session or the year, Fairfield makes you’re there, getting to neighboring cities it very attainable! Lastly, this truly wouldn’t is a piece of cake. With my Galway gals, we be possible without my family. They have have planned out numerous trips to a variety had my back and held my hand throughout of different countries in Europe! So far, we this whole journey, and I miss them very have visited London, Amsterdam and Ma- much. drid, as well as many areas around Ireland. I would highly encourage everyI do not take for granted how lucky I am one to consider studying abroad if possible! to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I have only been here a little over a month There are many factors that went into ensur- and I have already made so many memories ing that this could happen. Lots of strategic and amazing friends while learning so much scheduling and course planning as well as about our world. It is an incredibly rewardchoosing the right international university ing experience that will change my life forwas the biggest obstacle. Additionally, study- ever. I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you ing abroad can be very costly, especially if how anxious, scared and sad I was to relocate you choose to travel. For this reason, I spent to a foreign country for four months. But, I the entirety of my summer in an ugly apron would not change it for the world (maybe I at a local restaurant (not cute). would bring my dog next time … ). Hope Furthermore, this experience would not this letter makes it back to Stag Country with be possible without Fairfield, specifically love! Save me a Fork in the Road quesadilla! the Global Fairfield office. They helped set Erin Go Bragh! me up with accommodations, flight deals, Elliot Enriquez
the cookies out and we all tried them. The flavors in the variety bundle were: Chocolate Chip, Confetti, Cookies N’ Cream, Smores and Triple Chocolate. I had the Triple Chocolate cookie and it was delicious. It was the perfect amount of chocolate and sweetness one could have in a cookie. The chocolates blended so well together. When I tore the cookie in half the chocolate chips
were still gooey inside. I also tried the Pumpkin Spice Latte cookie, and it was also very good. I think the filling was a little too strong for my taste, but overall it was a good cookie. My friends also
raved about the cookies. Junior Claire DeMarco said she “likes a cookie that is soft on the inside and hard on the outside, and that is just what these cookies were.” I agree with her, it was the perfect combination of a warm center and a hard outside. We also all agreed it was better than Crumbl Cookies. These cookies were not as overly filling as Crumbl Cookies are. Instead of focusing on the aesthetic presentation of the cookie, Chip City focused on the flavor. Chip City seems to have mastered the basics of a good cookie, and that is why they were so delicious. If you are a cookie enthusiast I totally recommend Chip City. I will most certainly be returning for more cookies, especially to try more of their creative flavors. I think these cookies, in my opinion, are the closest thing to freshly homemade cookies. So, do yourself a favor and grab some of these delicious cookies next time you are craving a sweet treat!
By Jacqui Rigazio Assistant Vine Editor
As a huge music lover and concert fan, there is no better feeling than screaming the words to your favorite songs being played live. From the build-up of anticipation waiting for the artist to come onstage, to the awestruck debriefs while walking out of the venue and every moment in between, concerts are guaranteed to turn an average night into an unforgettable experience. I am always scavenging the internet for when my favorite artists are playing near me and will drop money (arguably too much at times) on concert tickets in a heartbeat. For me, seeing artists that I listen to every day play their music live is an experience I can only describe as spiritual. Always keeping an eye out for new concerts to attend, I asked some Stags to share the best concerts they’ve been to. Let’s see what they had to say! Junior Jenna LaRochelle says that her favorite concert was just a month ago in Bridgeport when she saw Noah Kahan on his Stick
By Sophia Cossitt-Levy Contributing Writer
Throughout the first part of the school year, we’ve seen many discussions regarding artificial intelligence hosted around campus. AI, made popular by its convenience and controversies, has the potential to alter the way many fields of work operate—healthcare, business and of course, the arts. On Oct. 11, Fairfield University hosted ‘AIsperation: Reimagining the Humanities and Arts with Generative AI’. The two panelists were Jeannie Joshi, who works in visual design, and Jonathan Soma, a professor at Columbia Journalism School. Joshi presented first, discussing how AI has already begun to alter many fields of work. Despite plenty of backlash regarding AI’s abilities in creative fields, especially visual art, Joshi had praise for its uses in the art world. She finds that balance and adaptation are essential for making AI fit into our working fields. Joshi herself has been exploring the many uses of AI, using prompts to have AI generate art. She’s noticed that the prompts a user inputs into the AI generator influence the overall qual-
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
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Season tour. She praises the concert for being “super affordable and super fun, everyone at the show was giving great vibes.” She said that her favorite song of his to hear live was “Maine” because, as a New England girl at heart, she loves taking trips to Maine with her family and friends. This past spring, Sam Ponessa ‘25 had a blast at a Masego concert in New York City, N.Y. Ponessa shares that he and a few friends saw this concert at Terminal 5 “which was a lot of fun because the venue wasn’t totally packed, so it was much more of a chill vibe.” Along with getting to hear “all of [Masego’s] hits,” Ponessa loves the “intimate vibe of smaller artists at standing-room venues.” Overall, this concert definitely stood out as his top favorite. When asked about her favorite concert, Kenzie Turner ‘25 immediately recalled the first concert she had ever attended. “My favorite concert was definitely Kane Brown because he brought out Chris Lane and Russell Dickerson,” Turner said. Having surprise guests always makes for a memorable experience! She went on to say that “it was also my first concert, and was much more than I could have ever ex-
ity of what’s generated and has worked to discover the most effective prompts for visual art. She even noted that prompts bring up their own form of plagiarism, as prompts can be stolen and used to create the same, or very similar, artwork. Additionally, Joshi spoke on AI in the educational world (She is also a professor and has experience with AI and education). She’s found that since AI already exists and already is used, there’s not much one can do to completely ban it. Rather, we must adapt to it, including AI in syllabi and having both teaching and learning evolve to fit AI. Ultimately, Joshi has found that artificial intelligence and human intelligence are compatible. Soma presented next, focusing on AI in the world of digital journalism. Before he got into it, he discussed human emotions in terms of new technologies. He’s found that people are typically wary of new technology before eventually coming to terms with its existence and feeling comfortable and confident with its purpose in their given field of work. Soma pointed out that we already use tools like Google to find the most efficient way to do some-
pected.” Sounds like Kane Brown really set the bar high for Turner’s first concert! Along with Turner, fellow country fan Christian Vareem ‘24 says that his favorite concert was when he saw Morgan Wallen at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Mass. When asked why this one was his top pick, Vareem simply said “because Morgan Wallen shook my hand.” Country fans everywhere are wishing they were Christian right now! Junior Charlotte Ginolfi shared a throwback from her middle school days as her top favorite. She said, “My favorite concert was when I went to Justin Bieber when I was 13. I was a huge J.B. fan at the time, so it was a perfect fit for me.” Not only did Ginolfi get to experience 2016 Justin Bieber live and in person, but she also saw Post Malone as his opener! “This was right when Posty first became famous, so it was awesome to see him live right at the start of his fame.” Thirteen-year-old me sure is jealous of anyone who got to see both Justin Bieber and Post Malone in the same show. To no surprise of my own, three Fairfield students named Harry Styles as the best
thing. By trial and error, we then figure out what’s most effective. Soma says AI does the trial and error part for us through statistical probability. Based on how many times an answer has been used for a question, AI generates a list of what the most effective answers are for your question.
concert they’ve ever been to. Junior Erin Resnick says “I loved the Harry Styles Love on Tour concert. The atmosphere of the show was so much fun and getting to hear his songs live was an unreal experience.” Fellow Harry fan Erin Dugan ‘25 elaborates that Styles “interacted with the audience so much, and everybody who was there was so sweet and positive!” Sophomore Emme Haddad also gushed over the singer, saying that “his energy is unmatched. I went to ‘Harryween’ last year and between his themed costume and the surprise songs, the energy was electric!” I have never personally been to a Harry Styles show, but my TikTok for-you-page makes me feel like I have. Styles definitely gives fans what they paid for by making their concert experiences one to remember! No matter your music taste, it's undeniable that the thrill of live music is universal. Whether you’re an avid concert attendee or make your annual appearance at the FUSA spring concert (praying for someone good this year!), I hope you all have gotten to experience the power of live music.
Soma also talked a lot about how to use AI in the best possible ways. He made an example of using AI to generate headlines for a news article. What Soma recommends is asking for multiple headlines; he recommends five instead of just one. According to Soma, AI is a collaborative model, which
Photo Courtesy of quickcenter.fairfield.edu
Jonathan Soma and Jeannie Joshi were welcomed by the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts to discuss the benefits and faults of AI.
connects back to Joshi’s earlier statement about AI and human intelligence complementing each other. For the headlines, you might work with your editor or another writer to come up with something good. So, isn’t AI just something else to collaborate with? Lastly, Soma recommends exploring what AI has to offer. He treats it as another tool one has to learn different skills for and has created a website that instructs users on how to use AI in the best possible way. His website includes countless tweets and articles about AI, and it’s a great resource for those who want to learn more. The presentation was incredibly informative, especially as someone who’s really only heard the negative side of artificial intelligence. For the most part, I’ve heard writers and artists warn others about the dangers of AI, especially in terms of taking away creative jobs, and I’ve heard teachers, rightfully so, fearing plagiarism in their classes. So, it was very eyeopening to hear these alternate perspectives. If you’re curious about AI and want to attend a presentation like this one, keep an eye out on Life@ Fairfield for information—there will be another in the spring semester!
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
BY ERIN MCGETRICK Contributing Writer
With the semester flying by, it’s almost impossible to believe that our first break from school has already come and gone. Midterms have arrived and now we must buckle in for what will surely be a rollercoaster of a ride until finals. So, what were our Stags up to over the extended weekend? If you decided to stay for the break, you may have noticed the quietness of campus due to the hoards of students who flocked home to see their families and perhaps receive some home-cooked meals. For those that remained, they felt the difference. Junior Tori Lane enjoyed the peacefulness. “It was pretty quiet since a lot of my friends went home, but it was really good to catch up on work,” she says, picking the studious route. She also embraced the fall spirit during this downtime, saying, “My roommate and I just ended up binge-watching a bunch of Halloween movies.” Others participated in fall activities as well, like apple picking or going to pumpkin patches. Sophomore Claire Suprenant even celebrated an autumnal holiday in advance, as per family tradition. With her grandparents living in Florida and her cousins maintaining busy lives, the only time they can see each other is in October for “Soupsgiving.” Being reminiscent of the typical Thanksgiving, Suprenant notes that “you would never know it was the beginning of October,” adding that “food covers the entire kitchen island, people are baking and cooking in the kitchen, and everyone has something to bring.”
By Brooke Lathe Executive Editor
Introducing … the “Big Mac” bowl! Inspired by my favorite meal at the famous fast-food chain and enhanced by a cheeseburger meal I saw on TikTok, a new easy and tasty plate will now reach your table. This is probably the most low-effort and affordable dinner I’ve introduced in a while—the perfect adjective combination for college students when looking for a recipe!
It’s evident how special this tradition is for Suprenant and her entire family involved, stating, “It’s super special to have such a perfect start to autumn, especially since it’s something I’ve been accustomed to since I was a baby.” The days off were a perfect amount of time to see family and also, evidently, to travel. Many may have noticed the countless posts on social media from those who went on vacation with their friends, especially from senior students. Whether it was Nashville, Las Vegas or another destination, it seems that many students are trying to take advantage of the sparse breaks left of their time at Fairfield. For some seniors, however, this made them want to hang back even more. “I wanted to be in my beach house,” says senior Sophia Zacharia who currently rents a house on Fairfield Beach Road, as so many final-year students typically do. “I might as well enjoy the beach house while I have it because one day I’m gonna be wishing I was still here,” she adds. As for myself, I managed to do both. I went home to spend some quality time with my fam-
Directions: Add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute diced onions on medium heat in a skillet. Remove once brown. Add your patty to the pan after seasoning with garlic and onion powder. Break it up on the skillet and wait seven minutes until cooked. Add two slices of cheese. Wash the shredded lettuce and lay it on your plate. Add the cooked onions and chopped tomatoes. Mix the mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, garlic and onion powder. Pour it over your meal and enjoy!You can very easily make two meals out of the ingredients listed above, decreasing the cost in half and providing you with a quick, nourishing dinner with ease. Enjoy!
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ily and catch up on everything I’ve missed since moving in, in addition to eating some amazing meals. For the other half of the break, I hung out with my friends here at Fairfield and got to relax a bit before the workload became intense. I’m hoping you got everything out of the break that you needed to because although Thanksgiving seems close by, you still have another month at Fairfield where anything can happen.
The Vine
By Max Limric Managing Editor
U2 just completed its third weekend of residency at Sphere, the newest addition to the Las Vegas Strip—and I was there. Costing over $2.3 billion to build, The Strip is abuzz with Las Vegas residents talking about its breathtaking visuals such as larger-thanlife emoji faces and ocean scenes that light up the city sky. U2, a band that has spent much of their career in the spotlight as they push the boundaries of music and amaze fans while through their fusion of music and technological feats are the first to perform at the groundbreaking venue. The concert was amazing, and I would do it all over again; however, I have one critique—it felt like more of a show than a concert, if that makes sense. Their songs and use of visuals felt performative instead of authentic and took away from the band itself. The abundance of technology stripped their creativity, as they needed to adhere to a specific order of songs. They worked with professionals months beforehand to create visuals for each song and even though the visuals were beautiful, they ensured that the band only went through the motions—without a lot of emotion. Most of the visuals were awe-inspir-
By Abigail White Head Vine Editor
The air is crisp. The leaves are changing colors. It finally feels like fall is in full swing. The only thing that is missing is the perfect playlist to set the tone for the season. Here are five songs that you may want to consider adding to your playlist to create the perfect fall feel. “There She Goes” by The La’s This is the ultimate autumn song. As soon as I hear the introduction, before the beat kicks in, I am transported to a small town with colorful trees, pumpkins lining the streets and an iconic coffee shop just around the corner. All of the “Gilmore Girls” fans will know exactly what town I am talking about. “There She Goes” is the first song that is played in the opening scene of “Gilmore Girls’” pilot episode, and is a very fitting song choice, in my opinion. Whenever it comes on, I immediately find myself in Stars Hollow, sitting in Luke’s Diner, waiting for a hot cup of coffee on a crisp fall day. “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan Fall is the best time of year to listen to folk music, and what better folk, indie artist is there to listen to but Noah Kahan? Celebrating the one-year anniversary of his album “Stick Season” just last weekend, his music is perfect for the fall season. With the same name as the album title, the song “Stick Season” has a fun, upbeat feel to it. In his lyrics, Kahan sings of Vermont’s “season of the sticks,” a time period between the fall in winter seasons, when the beautiful foliage is start-
THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
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ing—we watched the Las Vegas Strip get stripped away to nothing but a vast desert, we looked on in awe as all of the world’s extinct animals circled around us, stargazed into unknown galaxies and watched on as the sunset over the mountains. Yet, the visual that sticks with me the most is the cheugy visual paying homage to Elvis Presley. An unnecessarily busy visual that moved down from the top of the sphere all the way down underneath the stage created a feeling of vertigo and nausea—so much so that I had to look away. Then, because each show is the exact same, their actions felt forced and often monotone, even though it was only their third weekend performing. Without the excitement of touring and performing in different cities, their show lacked intimacy. However, it should be noted that Bono just had COVID-19 and I’m willing to bet at the ripe age of 62, he was still feeling its effects. So he simply just might not have been able to give us his all that night. Moreso, Sphere encased its viewers in it, created a cold atmosphere and built a divide between U2 and the audience. It often felt as if Bono were singing to the camera that constantly circled him instead of to the audience waiting right in front of him. Likewise, the light coming from the visuals lit up the venue in an awkward bright light for most of the show, which ensured
that viewers were not able to feel a personal connection with the band on stage. The bright lighting lit up each individual, and instead of feeling like one audience, we felt separated. Now I know my review may seem harsh, but I obviously still love U2 and I know it is impossible to open a brand new venue without some imperfections. The warmth and nostalgia that radiated from the band as they took the stage is what will stick with me. The best performances of the night included “The Fly,” with its intense guitar riffs; “Until the End Max Limric/The Mirror of the World” while U2 completed its thrid weekend of residency at Sphere on the Sphere accompanied Las Vegas Strip. the song with lighting and fire and “Beautiful passionate guitar and Adam’s steady bass Day”—a song that lit up Sphere. stole the show in a venue better suited for Bono’s reverberating vocals, The Edge’s movies—not live performances.
ing to disappear, but it is not quite winter yet. With the mix of the tune and the lyrics, this song is the perfect fit for a fall playlist. “Like Real People Do” by Hozier Sticking to the theme of folk music for the perfect fall playlist, Hozier is a necessity. Quite frankly, it’s not fall without Hozier. And if you are looking for something that’s a little on the slower side but still gives the same cozy fall feel, “Like Real People Do” is the song for you. This song is full of beautiful melodies and vocals that are perfect
for the season. “Dreams” by The Cranberries If you are looking for something more along the lines of rock or alternative, definitely check out The Cranberries. “Dreams” is one of my favorite songs by The Cranberries and the perfect upbeat song to motivate you to get outside and enjoy all the fun activities fall has to offer. “I Know the End” by Phoebe Bridgers Phoebe Bridgers is probably one of my favorite artists to listen
to when the weather starts to change. There is nothing that screams autumn quite like cozying up with a sad Phoebe Bridgers song as the leaves start to die and the cold weather settles in. Even the title alludes to the end of something. And fall is definitely a season of change, marking the end of sunny days as we transition into winter. So what are you waiting for? Add these songs to your playlist to create the perfect soundtrack for the fall season. Whether you are out and about participating in autumn activities, in the library getting some homework done or cozying up in your dorm on a cold rainy day, there is a song that will fit any of your needs this fall.
Coffee Break
THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
Coffee Break
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Satire, games, Puzzles and More Editors: Brooke Lathe, Max Limric, Kathleen Morris
Photo Contributed by Disneymovies/.com
CreativeCommons/Canva
Sports
Sports
Head Sports Editor: Ryan Marquardt >> ryan.marquardt@student.fairfield.edu
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
Assistant Sports Editor: Billy McGuire >>william.mcguire@student.fairfield.edu
Coach Jay Young Steps Down After Tumultuous Four-Year Tenure By Billy McGuire Assistant Sports Editor Fairfield University announced on Monday, Oct. 16 that men’s basketball head coach Jay Young is stepping down from his position, according to a report from fairfieldstags.com that announced a leadership transition for the men’s team. Taking the reins in the interim is Chris Casey, who has served as an assistant coach on Young’s staff the previous four seasons. He will assume duties effective immediately, as he and the Stags will continue preparing for their season tip-off, which takes place at 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6 against Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Brought on board in 2019, Young leaves the Stags after four seasons behind the bench, guiding the program to a 50-73 record in his tenure as the Stags head man. The major highlight of his coaching tenure was guiding the Stags to a Cinderella-story run in the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, falling to coach Rick Pitino’s Iona University Gaels in the
finals, 60-51 as the tenth seed. Prior to joining the herd, Young served as an assistant under Steve Pickell at Rutgers University for the first three seasons of Pickell’s head coaching tenure in New Brunswick, N.J. Prior to that, he served under Pikiell at Stony Brook University for the entirety of his tenure from 2005-2016, punching a ticket to March Madness in his final season. Before that, he had served as a coach in different capacities for 18 seasons, including a fouryear head coaching stint at the University of New Haven and a four-year stint as the head boss at Newbury College. Casey will take the reins with some previous head coaching experience. He has previously served as the head coach at fellow MAAC foe Niagara University from 2013-2019, going 64-129 with one CollegeInsider.com (CIT) tournament appearance in 2018. Prior to that, he led the Long Island University Post Pioneers for three seasons, and had some Big East exposure as an assistant on the Saint John’s University coaching staff before obtaining that gig from 2006-2010. He
Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk
Former men's basketball head coach Jay Young announced his resignation on Monday, Oct. 16.
also served at Rutgers University-Newark from 1998-2001 as the bench boss for the Scarlet Raiders. This is also the second consecutive preseason that a MAAC men’s basketball team sees coaching staff changes, as former Manhattan College head coach Steve Masiello was relieved of his duties
In this week's issue... - Men's Soccer Comes Out Unlucky In Homestand (Pages 14) - Opinion: The NHL's Ban on "Theme Nights" Goes Too Far (Page 15) - Volleyball Continues Surge With Strong Efforts By Haut (Page 15) - Field Hockey Pushes Forth Undefeated in NEC Play (Page 16)
last October just prior to their season opener as Manhattan started preparations for a “rebuilding from the top down." The Jaspers eventually hired John Gallagher as their new head coach for this season. For more news regarding the Fairfield University men’s basketball team, please visit www.fairfieldstags.com.
Sports
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THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
Men's Soccer Comes Out Unlucky In Homestand
BY BILLY MCGUIRE Assistant Sports Editor The Fairfield University men’s soccer team fell short to Manhattan College on Wednesday, Oct. 11 in a 2-1 decision at Lessing Field. The Stags nearly pulled off the win, but the Jaspers’ had other plans. The Stags put the ball past the Manhattan netminder on three separate occasions, but on all three of those tries two Jasper defenders stood nearby and chucked the ball back towards midfield. These efforts left Fairfield clocking in on the score sheet just once on the outing. The first sign of things to come came at the 13-minute mark, as defender Cody Read ‘26 nearly scored his second goal of the campaign by having a goal pulled away by the two defenders just inches away from the goal line. Manhattan responded with luck after the scare, as they found the back of the net at the 22nd-minute mark thanks to the efforts of Ayoub Boumelala to give the Jaspers a 1-0 lead. Senior Forward Thomas Drillen led the herd with seven shots on the outing, with fellow forward Alex Marin ‘24 setting up the goal. Marin brought the ball down the left side of the pitch and cut down towards the goal before executing a cross kick that found a perfectly positioned Drillen, who deflected the ball off of his head into the goal for his second goal of the campaign. The goal came on his third shot of the game and at the 39-minute mark, propelling the Stags into the half with renewed optimism. Manhattan spiked one past goaltender James Anderson ‘24 at
the 52nd-minute mark, elevating them to the driver’s seat and firmly holding that grip for the rest of the game. Shortly after, Fairfield nearly tied the game thanks to a perfect setup from graduate student midfielder Malachy McGovern, whose shot deflected right at the back line by a Jasper defender. Drillen also had a few chances that were stripped from him, as he had multiple instances where shots from both his foot and his head were shot down by the Jasper defensive machine. Despite their efforts, the Stags took home a disappointing 2-1 loss that they surely deserved to win. "Thomas' goal gave us a real lift," Head Coach Carl Rees said, according to the game’s official press release. "All week we worked on penetration from wide areas and set up systems where we have numbers of situations which transpired today. I think we were able to get more quality balls from wide areas." Three nights later, on Saturday, Oct. 14, the Stags hosted Marist College in a conference showdown under the lights at Lessing Field. The loss did come with some positives, as the Stags did a good job of navigating the ball around the field while executing efficient ball possession. They ended up with 15 total shots on the day, with four being stopped by Marist netminder Luca Bulfon. The back-and-forth showdown between the two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference rivals began with a Stags goal at the 15-minute mark, as Drillen sunk in his second goal in as many games to give the Herd a 1-0 lead. The Auckland,
New Zealand native capitalized off a masterfully placed pass from defender Kris Naicker ‘25, who executed spectacular ball possession at the top of the box before sending a through ball that cleared the back line and found Drillen for the equalizer. Marist tied the game at the 37-minute mark off of an errant pass inside of the box to set him up one-on-one with Anderson. Despite Andersen’s efforts, one of the most offensively talented players in the MAAC secured his fourth goal of the season. No other action occurred in the first half as the game remained tied, 1-1. However, Marist came firing out of the gate to begin the second half, as the Red Foxes scored just three minutes in at the 48th-minute mark off of the head from Joergen Thue Kristiansen that was shot from
the corner by his teammate, Skyler Cuncha. Marist took a 3-1 lead thanks to a Bernardo Granindo goal at the 59th-minute mark. After a 10-minute scoring hiatus, the Stags were awarded a penalty kick. Fairfield unfortunately came up short as the ball went over the crossbar. They did eventually get another opportunity, and on this chance, they finished. Thanks to capsizing control of the ball at the top left corner of the box, midfielder Sam Danner ‘26 shot from that point that just snuck just inside to make it a 3-2 game at the 79th-minute mark. The Stags then put in a spirited effort at the end of the contest, as they dominated possession of the ball and tried to find many opportunities to finish. Sadly, the Red Foxes held firm by playing stout defense, which enabled them to
secure the victory. "We put forward another good performance against a strong Marist team," Head Coach Carl Rees said, according to the game’s official press release. "We matched them throughout the game and really created more clear-cut opportunities. The character traits of the team are positive and I am proud of the endeavor.” Anderson finished the night with six saves while facing fifteen shots. The goaltender continued his efficient play as a bright spot for a program that is now 3-8-1 on the season. The Stag’s next matchup will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 18 against Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. For more information on the Fairfield University men’s soccer team, please visit www.fairfieldstags.com.
Photos Contributed by the Sports Information Desk
Senior Forward Thomas Drillen had a team--leading seven shots on goal against Manhattan College.
The Weekly 5x4
Five People. Four Questions. Because we have witty things to say.
Tommy Coppola Editor-in-Chief
Brooke Lathe Executive Editor
Max Limric Managing Editor
Julian Nazario Copy, Head News Editor
Ryan Marquardt Head Sports Editor
What are your plans for parents weekend?
Honestly, I think that will be a gametime decision.
Barnyard is having its inaugural tailgate on Saturday, so preparing for that.
Have an induction ceremony and my dad wants to attend men’s b-ball open practice.
Crash someone’s family dinner?! Idk, probably study for midterms.
My parents are not coming up this weekend.
Where is your favorite place you lived on campus?
I think Mahan might be the best.
Barnyard realistically but Faber will always have a place in my heart.
Langguth. The second time around though.
I like Langguth, but give me the Campion community vibes.
Mahan is definitely better than a forced triple in Jogues and Gonzaga as a sophomore.
What is your favorite intramural sport at Fairfield?
I like Pickleball this year a lot, but floor hockey’s always great too.
My co-rec volleyball team is undefeated 5-0. #GoMummy!
I don’t do that stuff. I teach tennis though.
I’ve only watched the flag football games.
Flag football is definitely the best but softball is a solid number 2.
How do you think the NFL officiating has been this year?
Really hit or miss. The “script” seems as real as ever.
Ask me something about basketball.
Ummm yea.
It’s always going to be a problem, but RIP to the Giants.
Yes it has been tragic the officials need to be held accountable.
Sports
THE MIRROR | Week of October 18, 2023
Page 15
Opinion: The NHL's Ban on "Theme Nights" Goes Too Far
By Tommy Coppola Editor-In-Chief
Another day, another outrageous call by the executives of the National Hockey League. The NHL has put down a sweeping rule, stating that no team can wear a specialty warmup jersey of any kind. Traditionally, teams in the NHL would host “themed” nights in their arena, wearing special jerseys during warmups to show solidarity for different organizations or groups. In the case of the Boston Bruins, they host their own Military Appreciation Night, an event where they wear camo-clad warm up jerseys and offer special events throughout the game itself for members of the U.S. Military, past or present. Under this new rule, we can say goodbye to this amazing initiative. This also applies to the “Hockey Fights Cancer” cause, which is now no longer allowed to be celebrated in arenas. These specific nights saw each team warming up before the game in black and pink jerseys to show their support for people all around the world fighting cancer. What started all this controversy and the creation of this strict rule, you ask? On team-sponsored “pride nights,” which are special nights devoted to showing support to the LGBTQIA+ community, certain players have chosen to sit out of warmups citing different reasons for doing so. Marc and Eric Staal of the Florida Panthers stated that the pride-themed event went against their Christian beliefs, and thus wasn’t something they wanted to participate in. While the NHL has many Russian players in the league, their home country’s anti-gay laws may play a role in this as well.
Concerned with the safety of their Russian players upon returning to Russia, the Chicago Blackhawks decided to sit out of their pride night but expressed disappointment in missing out on the chance to support according to an article by the Associated Press. According to an article in NPR, the NHL put out a recent memo to teams doubling down on this rule for “specialty events”—which spans as far as banning players from using rainbow-colored tape. According to the same article, the league made a heavy push to promote pride events, with a campaign called “Hockey is for Everyone”. They even sold rainbow stick tape in their official shop. Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton completely rejects this rule. He said he’ll be using the tape regularly, regardless of any rules in place, going so far as to say he’ll buy it himself if he has to. So far, there have been no punishments on trespassers of this rule, but hockey fans will see how the NHL reacts to such protests in the coming weeks. In my opinion, this is a huge step backward for the National Hockey League, a league I’ve loved to support and follow for so long. With these themed nights, I have always seen the NHL as inclusive to all races, ethnicities, belief systems and sexual orientations. It comes as a shock to me that this isn’t the case any longer. The sport of hockey should truly be for everyone. The sport spans so many nations in the world and should be accessible to so many different people around the world, regardless of who they are. The only solution to this seems to be to repeal the rule entirely. It isn’t fair to punish players for simply wanting to express themselves, even in such a small and harmless
way like the color of the tape on their stick. If a player wants to show support for a community, they should be able to without any restrictions whatsoever. What if a player wanted to use purple tape to support domestic violence awareness? Is that not allowed? The league deems it a “distraction,” but a distraction from what? Both myself and many other hockey fans likely agree on the fact that these themed nights aren’t distracting from anything, but rather showing support to the communities that would benefit from it. If players choose to sit out,
opening set to beat the Iona Gaels (8-12 overall, 4-5 in conference), 3-0 according to the game’s official box score. The win puts the Stags half a game behind league leaders Marist (8-1) in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings. The first set was a back-and-forth affair, with the largest lead being a four-point Fairfield advantage at 17-13. However, the Gaels would go on to win
nine of the next 11 points to take a 22-19 lead and force a Stags timeout. “[Iona] wants to just play really fast,” said Fairfield coach Nancy Somera. “At the beginning in that first set we were trying to do that also … it started to feel very frantic on our side of the net.” The teams traded points out of the break, setting up arguably the play of the match from Stags libero Kyla Berg ‘24. A sharp swing down the line threatened to
they sit out; that shouldn’t be a reason to get rid of these beneficial nights altogether. The NHL needs to do better. This rule needs to be reversed, or at the very least fixed and amended. Without player’s expression and ability to support certain groups, players will only continue to be frustrated and the league won't be as able to draw in support from these groups. If the NHL thinks that “Hockey is for Everyone”, then they should really put their words into actions.
Photo Courtesy of @XaviaerD on X
The NHL recently banned all theme nights, which includes "Pride Night" celebrations.
Volleyball Continues Surge With Strong Efforts By Haut
By Danny McElroy Contributing Writer The Fairfield University women’s volleyball team played host to Iona University on Wednesday, Oct. 11 at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. Junior Mikayla Haut had a teamhigh 12 kills, Blakely Montgomery ‘25 recorded a double-double with a seasonhigh 21 digs and Fairfield (11-5 overall, 7-1 in conference) pulled away after a tight
Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk
Junior Outside Hitter Mikayla Haut recorded a team-high twelve kills against Iona University to sweep their competitors in just three sets.
put the Gaels on set point, but a layout dig from Berg kept the ball in play, with a kill from Montgomery finishing off the point a few touches later. The Stags then rode that momentum to a 26-24 comeback win in the opening frame. “I rely on my team and I know my team relies on me,” Berg said, “so I knew I had to pick that up, and if I picked it up, someone was gonna put it down.” The big play sparked the Stags for the rest of the match, and with the help of Haut’s offense and Montgomery’s 28 assists, they rode that momentum to comfortable wins of 25-17 and 25-18 in the second and third sets to close out the win. Haut’s 12-kill outing is her third straight in double digits, including a season-high 19 last Friday against Quinnipiac University. The junior outside hitter credited her sustained success to her teammates after the game. “Our middles and our setters do a great job of seeing the other side of the court before I can even see it,” she said, “so they put me in a great position to have a split in the block or have a one-on-one opportunity. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to get the kills I do.” The Stags had more to celebrate after the game than just their fourth straight victory. Berg’s 17 dig performance helped her pass the career 1,000 mark in her final season. And in a fitting symbol of the captain’s storied career, it was with the diving save in the first set that she reached the number. Fairfield will now look ahead to backto-back weekend contests at Mahoney Arena against Rider and Saint Peter’s, with a chance to vault themselves atop the conference standings.
@Fairfield Mirror fairfieldmirror.com
Week of October 18, 2023
Sports 16
Field Hockey Pushes Forth Undefeated in NEC Play By Ryan Marquardt Head Sports Editor
On Oct. 10, field hockey forward Lucie Vincent ‘27 was named the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week. Additionally, she had a goal featured at number nine on the SportsCenter top 10 countdown. She had two goals and an assist leading to her two NEC awards. Her goal against Sacred Heart University was featured on Sports Center where she flipped the ball up and tapped it once again over the Sacred Heart goalie’s head and into the net. Vincent leads the Stags in points with six goals and three assists. This gives her an average of 1.4 points per game in her 11 games thus far. “It's a real pleasure and an honor to be Rookie of the Week and to be in the SportsCenter Top 10, I didn't know what it was before but it seems to be a big thing in the U.S.,” she stated. “But we must not forget that it's only individual awards and without Madison [Milhous ‘25]'s and Dominique [Van Der Zee ‘27]'s great assists, I'd never have scored and never received those awards. So I'm obviously happy and proud of these but I'll be even happier when we win the important games in our tournament and achieve our collective goals as a team.” She continued by discussing her transition to Fairfield and how her team has aided her in this transition by saying, “Everything is going really well! I think integrating at Fairfield is easier being part of a team. Even before arriving in the United States, I had received a dozen messages to make sure I was ready and I had everything that I needed.” She also talks about the support she receives from her upper-class teammates. “Once I arrived, the welcome I received from the upper classes was great, they really want
you to feel at home in the team. So now, I know that if there's a problem I can talk to them about it, or if I need help with something I can always count on them to help me. I've really found friends in this team and I'm very grateful and happy to have fallen in with them. This year will be ours!” After Vincent’s big week, the Stags started a two-game road slate in Staten Island, N.Y. to take on conference opponent Wagner College. Wagner came out swinging against the Stags, dominating possession at the beginning of the game. However, the Stag defensive unit remained strong as they kept Wagner from getting opportunities at the net. Wagner did get a couple of chances off of penalty corners, but the Stags managed to turn those chances into quick outlet passes and transitioned quickly into an offensive attack. The Stag’s first goal came from forward Dominique Van Der Zee, who got the ball about 15 yards from the net and carried it to the right of the circle then took a shot and snuck it past the diving Wagner goalkeeper to give the Stags the lead with two minutes left in the first quarter. Following the first quarter, the Stags put pressure on the Wagner offense with their very aggressive defensive philosophy. The second and third quarter did not see much offensive action for either team. They went back and forth with neither team being able to finish. Once the fourth quarter hit, the offenses opened up with Wagner tying it up early in the quarter. However, just a few minutes later the Stags were able to take the lead back. The game-winner came from forward Alex Senior ‘26, giving the Stags the eventual 2-1 victory. They held onto the lead for the remainder of the game and took the game remaining undefeated in the NEC. The Stags were outshot in the game 13 to
Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk
Junior Madison Milhous's assist helped her and her teammates get on the Sports Center Top 10 this past week. 10. However, they did get seven shots on goal compared to Wagner’s three. Stags goalie Payton Rahn ‘25 was credited with two saves on the day, whereas Wagner’s goalie got five. Following their win at Wagner, the Stags traveled to Orono, Maine to take on the University of Maine. The first half saw minimal offensive opportunities for either team, with the possession being passed back and forth between the two teams. The first quarter saw three total shots taken, two of which were taken by the Stags and neither team was able to score. Both defenses remained stout through the first half, with neither team allowing a goal leading to the teams heading into the break with a 0-0 tie. The second quarter did not see the game change much as both
defenses continued to remain strong. However, the quarter saw more shots at the goalies. Maine had two shots on net early but Rahn was able to turn them aside. The Stags got a couple opportunities as well but were unable to finish on the offensive end. The score did not break from the 0-0 tie until about halfway through the third quarter, when Maine was able to sneak one past Rahn off a backhand shot. The fourth quarter saw Maine with a multitude of opportunities with Rahn facing three shots in succession and stopping two before the third went wide. However, with just four minutes left in the game, Maine was able to score their second goal. The goal came from a penalty corner and put the game out of reach for the Stags. While the Stags attempted to
put pressure on the offensive end after allowing their second goal, they were unable to convert and saw their six-game win streak come to an end with a 2-0 loss to Maine. The Stags offense was able to outshoot Maine 12 shots to 10, but Maine managed eight shots on goal with the Stags only getting six. Both goalies had six saves and the Stags had nine penalty corners to Maine’s six. The loss drops the Stags to 10-3 overall but they are still 4-0 in NEC play and are the only remaining NEC team undefeated in conference play according to fairfieldstags.com. The Stags will play an NEC game vs. Rider University on Friday, Oct. 20 followed by another home game against Long Island University at University Field on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Photo Contributed by The Sports Information Desk
Freshman Lucie Vincent scored twice and netted herself an assist against Sacred Heart University. Vincent has helped the Stags to a perfect 4-0 run in the Northeast Conference.